Cabinet bath apparatus



May 16, 1939, G. A. scHULTE CABINET BATH APPARATUS Filed April 14, 1938 Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CABINET BATH APPARATUS Application April 14, 1938, Serial No. 202,047

2 Claims.

'Ihis invention relates to cabinet bath apparatus, and particularly to improvements in vapor generating units for use in such apparatus.

Cabinet bath apparatus wherein a patient is 5 surrounded byv a suitable cover, which connes medicinal or steam vapors generated within the cover to contact with the patients body, is well known. One form of such apparatus is shown in my Patent, No. 1,932,122, issued October 24, 1933.

l In general, such cabinet bath apparatus is portable, and is provided with a vaporizing device or unit positioned within the cabinet or cover. Various types of vaporizing units having a burner or heater to produce medicinal or steam vapors have been used.

Heretofore, vaporizing units for use in cabinet bath apparatus have been unsatisfactory in several respects. Such units have been subject to leakage of the medicinal solution or water through 20 numerous seams and joints. Units having the requisite surface area of liquid to be vaporized have been slow to produce vaporization, and have utilized only a small part of the heat applied to them. Another problem has been the failure to 25 rapidly vaporize all of the solution or fluid placed therein. Other problems such as failure to providefor fluid circulation, the danger of electrical shock, and expense of manufacture are well recognized.

80 It is the object of this invention to provide an improved vapor generating unit having a onepiece pan or receptacle for holding a solution or liquid to be vaporized, and arranged for efficient utilization of heat produced by an electric heat- 86 ing device.

It is also the object of this invenion to provide a vapor generating unit in which the exposed surface area of the contained liquid is relatively large with respect to the quantity of liquid, and

40 in which the heater is positioned to efliciently circulate and vaporize all the liquid.

It is another object of this invention to provide a vapor generating unit having a one-piece sheet metal pan or receptacle without seams or 46 openings, whereby leakage of the medicinal solution or water is avoided.

It is another object of this invention to provide an electrically heated vapor generating unit having a heating device arranged in a reentrant por- 50 tion of the liquid container adjacent to a small relatively conned body of the liquid in said container.

It is another object of this invention to provide a vapor generating unit in which the liquid to be 55 vaporized is caused to ow upwardly through a relatively small chamber of annular cross section surrounding a heating coil, and then to cascade over the upper edge of a tube defining said chamber.

It is another object of the invention to provide a vapor generating unit which is electrically safe, the heating coil and terminals being fully insulated and protected from the liquid and from the liquid receptacle.

It is the further object of this invention to provide a vapor generating unit of simple and inexpensive construction provided with a curled edge or rim to avoid accidental spillage of the medicinal solution or liquid.

Other objects and advantages of this invention Will be readily apparent from the following description cf an embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is an elevation View in section of a preferred form of my improved vapor generating v unit.

Figure 2 is a perspective View showing an arrangement for supporting the vapor generating unit in cabinet bath apparatus.

Referring to Figure l, for the purposes of illustration, the vapor generating unit is provided with a relatively shallow pan or receptacle, indicated by the numeral IIJ, containing a medicinal solution or liquid which is toV be vaporized. The central portion of the pan I0 is extended down- 30 wardly to form a depending Well II, and thence upwardly to form a reentrant portion I2. The reentrant portion I2 may extend approximately to the level of pan I0. The pan I0, including portions II and I2, may be constructed from one piece of metal by drawing or spinning. A shoulder or offset I3 is provided on the reentrant portion I2 for supporting a tubular member I4, which latter surrounds the reentrant portion I2 and extends above the level of the liquid in pan I0. The tubular member I4 may be secured by friction or by welding to the shoulder I3, which spaces it from the wall of the reentrant portion I2. An opening I5 is provided in the lower part of the tubular member I4 to allow fluid to enter the 45 confined space between tube I4 and the reentrant portion I2 of the unit. A resistance element I6 is arranged on a suitable support or core II, of porcelain or other ceramic material. The resistance element I6 and its core I'I are of suit- 50 able size to fit snugly within the reentrant portion I2, and are secured in the reentrant chamber I2 by means of refractory cement I8. The refractory cement IB conducts heat from the resistance I Ii to the reentrant Wall I2. Terminal bolts I9 55 are provided for connecting the ends of the heating element I6 to a supply cable Eil. A terminal protecting cap 2 l, preferably of insulating material, encloses the terminals i9 and may be secured to the base of the coil support il by means of one or more nuts and bolts 23. Openings or vents 22 are provided in the terminal cover 2l to prevent the terminals from overheating.

The vapor generating unit I may be supported by the leg braces of the stool or chair 5, upon which the patient sits within the usual vapor confining cover or cabinet (not shown). A guard or shield 6 is provided above the vapor generator to prevent the medicinal vapors or steam from overheating the seat of the stool 5.

The operation of my improved vapor generating device is as follows: A medicinal solution or water is placed in the pan ill, covering the entire area thereof. Heat from the element iii is conducted, by the refractory cement i8 and the wall of the reentrant portion l2 of the pan, to the liquid confined in the annular chamber between the Wall I2 and the surrounding tubular member I4. As the body of liquid in said charnber is relatively small, it is quickly heated and thereby caused to rise within the tube iii, and to cascade over the upper edge thereof. Additional liquid enters the annular chamber from the well II through the opening I5. As the liquid flows over the upper edge of the member if, vapors are given oif, and the unvaporized hot liquid which falls back into the pan lil causes agitation and circulation of the uid in the pan I0 and in the depending well il. With this arrangement it is possible to vaporize all of the fluid in the pan and nearly all of the uid in the well II. The heat produced by the heater I6 is eiciently utilized, since the heating element is almost entirely surrounded by the liquid to be vaporized. The heater I6 and its terminal connections are fully insulated from the metal pan and the liquids therein, and therefore the danger of electrical shock to the patient is eliminated. The curl 24 on the upper edge of the pan I0 prevents the liquid from being spilled, if the pan or stool should inadvertently be tipped or jarred. The pan IU including the curl 24,

aieaeei the depending well II, and the reentrant portion i2 is made of one piece of metal without joints or seams and is therefore leakproof and inexpensive to manufacture.

Obviously, various forms of contacts and heating means may be designed by those skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of this invention which contemplates the use of any equivalent materials and supports, within the terms of the following claims.

I claim:

l. A vapor generating unit for use in cabinet bath apparatus comprising a pan adapted to contain a quantity of liquid to be evaporated, sed pan having a depending well portion the which extends inwardly to form a reertion within said well portion, a baie i extending above the level of liquid in n and into said well portion and having 1 r wa spaced from said reentrant portion to form a liquid confining chamber, said vk. said reentrant portion, and heating means mouv 'ted within said reentrant portion for heating the liquid said chamber.

2". A vapor generating unit for use in cabinet bath apparatus comprising a shallow pan adapted to contain a quantity of liquid to be evaporated, said pan having an integral downwardly extending well portion, an integral reentrant portion within said well portion and extending above the bottom level of said pan, and an inwardly curled edge, a tubular baffle member extending rom sai-d well portion upwardly above the upper surface of said reentrant portion and above the level of liquid in said pen, said member having its inner wall in juxtaposition to said reentrant portion forming an annular chamber and having an opening therein near the bottom of said well, an electrical heating element positioned within said reentrant portion adjacent said chamber, and enclosed terminal means positioned below said heating element.

GEORGE A. SCHULTE. 

